


Skin

by greenbloodedcomputer



Series: B-4 [6]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:23:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24496411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenbloodedcomputer/pseuds/greenbloodedcomputer
Summary: B-4 wonders why he looks different from everyone else.
Series: B-4 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769731
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Skin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [datalaur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/datalaur/gifts).



> This is part of a series of fics written about B-4. These canon-divergent stories depict B-4 after he has been rebuilt by a resurrected Data following the events of Star Trek: Nemesis.
> 
> This fic was based off the prompt: Request for a hand touch or familial touch. Perhaps Bruce's back of hand/knuckle stroke on baby!B-4's cheek? B is looking in a mirror for an extended period. When sought out, he asks why he doesn't look like Bruce or Geordi. Eventually the penny drops and Bruce realizes he means skin color. Perhaps they agree that Geordi's skin color looks delicious, like chocolate. But B is reassured in detail that his synthskin is pretty, soft, etc., plus it has many extra benefits over human skin.
> 
> \-- 
> 
> “My argument with Gene was, ‘If you could make a creature that moves like this and looks like this and thinks like this, why can’t you do the skin?’ And Gene’s response was, ‘What makes you think what you have isn’t better than skin?’ And that’s very difficult to argue with.”
> 
> — Brent Spiner on having gold skin for Data

During his early stages of development, when sentience was vague and confusing, B-4 liked to watch. He liked to see people out the window and mimic their movements. He was enamoured by gadgets and the intricacies that allowed them to function. He was taken by holos and photos and most apparent was his interest in his reflection. First, he would sit for a long time, looking into a dark panel in the cybernetics lab, and muse to himself, “Data.” 

“No, B-4. That is you. A reflection. An image. Like a holo.” Bruce Maddox tapped on the dark glass. “Not Data,” he said. “Move your arm and see how the reflection does the same. Go ahead.” B-4 raised his hand slowly and saw the image in the panel did the same. He continued this for an hour or more. 

B-4 was gifted a small mirror. In the afternoons he would sit in the lab and stare into it thoughtfully. One day, Bruce entered with a basket of wires and parts which he plopped down on the table. “B-4, are you ready for another test?” he asked, yet he received no response. “B?”

B-4 looked up from the mirror at Bruce, then back down. He looked back and forth several times: once to his face, then to his hands, then he frowned. “I do not look like you,” he said slowly as if coming to a realization that was difficult to understand. 

Bruce crossed the room to perch himself on the edge of the desk across from the android. “No,” he said. “You don’t.” 

“You are…pink.” 

Bruce wasn’t sure what to make of this, but B-4 didn’t elaborate. He simply went back to his mirror. 

“I don’t understand,” Bruce said finally in an attempt to coax him into clarifying. Nothing. Maybe he would go back to the earlier comment. “We have different hair,” he said pointing to B’s head. “You have brown. Mine is black.” B-4 said nothing. “Your eyes are gold. Mine are brown.” Still nothing. “B-4, what is it?” 

After a beat, B turned an outstretched his hand, taking Bruce’s and holding it up between them. “Pink,” he said insistently. “Geordie is brown. Data is gold. You are pink.” 

Bruce’s mouth opened in dawning realizing. “Oh…you mean skin?” He squeezed the android’s hand lightly. “Different people have different colour skin, B-4. That’s the way people are.”

B-4 looked at their hands pressed together. “Humans are not gold,” he said. “Humans are better.” 

Bruce often wondered where he got the notions about humans being the pinnacle of perfection. Perhaps it was a misinterpretation of thoughts Data had experienced in his quest to become more human-like. Nevertheless, he shook his head. “No,” he said. “No. Not at all. Look.” He stood up now to move closer. “Look at your hands.”

B-4 looked at both of his hands. 

“What is that covering your body?”

The reply came automatically. “1.3 kilograms of Bioplast sheeting.”

Bruce nodded. “What’s covering mine?”

B-4 looked perplexed for a moment. “Skin?”

“Right. Different material, right? So we will look different. But both are good. Different people look different. Dr. Sachdev, in the bio lab, what colour is her skin?”

B-4 thought for a moment. “Brown. Light-brown.” 

“Is Dr. Sachdev a good doctor?” 

“Yes.”

“Is Dr. Sachdev beautiful?”

B-4 thought about this. His answer was slow but no less certain. “…Yes.” 

“What about Geordie?”

B-4 smiled slightly. “Geordie is good.”

“Am I?”

“You are good,” B-4 decided. 

Bruce nodded. “So are you. What makes you think what you have isn’t better than skin?” The android looked down at his hands again. Without waiting for an answer. Bruce moved forward and took both hands in his. “Your bioplast is stronger. It is smoother. It has no imperfections. Some humans would be envious.”

“Envious,” B-4 repeated. 

“You should be proud of what you are, B-4.”


End file.
